Xander Schauffele kicked off 2025 decently. He played at the Kapalua, carding 17 under par. Little did we know at the time that was just the beginning of a rollercoaster ride. The world no. 2 mysteriously skipped the next two events, the Sony Open and The American Express. He is also not competing at the Farmers Insurance Open. Despite his manager citing medical issues for missing out, rumors swirled that he was making the switch to LIV Golf.

Last year as well, Schauffele made headlines for a probable move to LIV, but his father was quick to shut them down, saying his son is chasing legacy, not money. So, LIV, now as well, is truly out of the question. But a vague update citing medical issues really puts you in confusion, but now there is some clarity. On January 19, Todd Lewis shared that the 2x major winner is battling with his long-known right rib injury.

He clarified that it is not skeletal but instead soft tissue. He is resting for now; obviously, he has to, after all, Masters is fast approaching. It was believed that after sitting out of Torrey Pines, Schauffele will compete at Pebble Beach for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the same event where Scottie Scheffler is expected to make his late start to the 2025 season, but that is also looking dicey right now.

Interestingly, now that the truth is out, the golf world has united to support the professional in pain, letting go of all the LIV rumors.

Fans unite, hoping for Xander Schauffele’s speedy recovery

A golf enthusiast commented, “Tough start to the new season—Scottie, Xander, Jordan….,” referring to how all three players had medical issues going on before they could even enjoy the beginning of the season. Scottie Scheffler got injured while he was cooking for the Christmas dinner, and a glass bottle broke, purging glass strands into his right palm that were impossible to remove by hand. So, he had to go in for surgery. Jordan Spieth, who had wrist surgery done last year after the St. FedEx Jude Championship is also yet to start the season. His expected return is also at the Pebble Beach.

Another fan speculated that it might have gotten worse at the 1st TGL match. They wrote, “So he aggravated it at TGL, leading to the WDs.” Xander Schauffele played last at Tiger Woods’s tech-infused league on 7th January. His next match is on 21st January, where he might not again be seen with his team, New York Golf Club.

There was one interesting social media user who just bashed LIV golf, saying, “Well hopefully this will satisfy the inquiring minds of LIV who demanded the players tell them why they withdrew from these tournaments. But I’m certain this won’t be good enough for them, and they will simply say it’s all lies. LOL” Schauffele had been in talks about joining LIV Golf more than one time in the past, especially after his PGA Championship victory in May of last year.

“Professional golf can’t afford lengthy periods of inactivity from the few stars they have. Some of these event fields/leaderboards don’t generate much interest. Little wonder why viewership is down,” another fan chimed in. Although Jay Monahan and Co. received love at the American Express, it is still hard to confirm if the tour has been able to recover from its dropped viewership numbers. Since last year, a drop in viewership has been a major concern, and big players missing out on events can be asserted as one of the primary reasons.

One fan wrote, “Update on Xander, who is unable to play at Torrey this week. Hope he heals up and can get back out there soon.”

We too wish for Schauffele’s speedy recovery!